A generation of overreacters and underachievers

This thought randomly popped into my head last night, and with some friendly prompting I've decided to write a post about it.

I don't remember what I was doing/thinking about when it came to me; I just thought it, liked how it sounded, and updated my Facebook status with it. Sometimes that's just how my mind works.

What do I mean by it? Well, after some thought, I've decided that it spawned from what I see.

I see myself, 4 years and counting in college with pretty much nothing to show for it so far - I see others in the same situation as myself. I see magazines that scream out the recent celebrity drama. I see couples that break up and get back together mere hours later, only to do it all over again next week. I see the Occupy Wall Street protests chock full of my generation, pissed at our lack of job opportunities. I see teenagers having babies so they can purposefully be put on welfare, so they can be on Teen Mom, so they can have a reason to legitimately drop out of school. I see people on the Internet argue over the most pointless shit - I even see occasions where a group gets so pissed at the other that they hunt down the others phone number, call them and harass them at their own house/workplace - and it turns out to be a misunderstanding. I see people crushed under the greedy feet of a Black Friday mob. I see our public education system crumbling while churches get tax breaks (not trying to infuriate anyone out here, if you think I believe our education system sucks because of churches, you're missing my point - I just find it sadly ironic that some religions constantly spend millions on new churches, putting them in communities where the nearby elementary school is overcrowded and underfunded. And I sporadically decided to pick on churches for this - I could have used shopping malls or sports arenas if I wanted to). I see a mom choked to death by her own sons because she wanted to play Yahtzee and they didn't. I see the absurdness in the argument that gays can't marry because the sanctity of marriage will be ruined. I see one child forced to crush his pet hamster because of his bad grades.

And then...I see a child being told it is okay to fail, so long as you pick yourself up. I see my grandparents, who stayed happily married for 60+ years (rest in peace Grandma). I see a family compromise on how to spend their time, just as long as it is spent together as a family. I see the Gates Foundation donating billions of their own dollars to the American community, including public schools. I see churches care for the poor, the needy, the sick, the underprivileged. I see calm shoppers, okay with the possibility that they might not be able to buy that perfect materialistic gift this year. I see people in disagreement, remaining respectful of each other and not allowing things to get blown out of proportion, even if the topic on hand is one they feel so strongly and passionately about. I see a teenage mother cradling her newborn baby, softly swaying it and caressing it, whispering messages of love and hope in its ear. I see our economy turning around, spearheaded by cooperative effort that spans the generation gaps. I see high school sweethearts become college sweethearts, become newlyweds, celebrate their Silver Anniversary, pass on peacefully in their bed, hands clasped together  - and not a single day in between did they break it off and then get back together. I see magazines cover important news and information, feel-good stories and life tips. I see myself, in the future, happy and successful (and hopefully married to a wonderful woman).

I see the bad. I see the good. I don't see which one will prevail.

I love messing with people on Omegle

You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!

Stranger: hi

You: thank god. youre not a spambot or a horny male looking to skype

Stranger: asl

You: 54 f colorado

Stranger: 54 f then u must be horny

You: nope

You: menopause

Stranger: ye ur

Stranger: lol

You: kinda took the heat away

Stranger: if ur here

Stranger: wat u wearing?

You: clothes...

Stranger: wat type?

You: tell me young lad, do they still teach proper english in school these days?

Stranger: haha wat do u know?

Stranger: as much as old frustrated grannies want young men

Stranger: so yea

You: well i know how to spell "what"

You: so there's that

Stranger: ever heard of shortenings?

You: like for cooking?

Stranger: wtf u talking about?

You: crisco shortening? for baking?

Stranger: wow ur retarded

Stranger: think a little bit

You: very ironic statement there

Stranger: hiding behind irony shows ur retarded

You: well someone better tell alanis morrisette that

Stranger: wtf u putting alanis morisette for?

Stranger: lol

Stranger: seriously

Stranger: ur fuckn retarded

Stranger: are all old hags like u this way?

You: pretty much

Stranger: wow sad

You: you may as well kill yourself rather than get married

Stranger: aswell

You: oh im happily married

Stranger: but ye sure

Stranger: good for u

You: in fact my husband is laughing at you

Stranger: lol who cares about ur husband?

Stranger: and about u

You: now he's crying because it just hit him that your generation is hopeless

Stranger: hes crying because hes bitch (you) are getting too many wrinkles

You: his*

You: and i'm currently wrinke-free

Stranger: and hes sad

You: save for that one below the belt

Stranger: cuz he cant get bitches

Stranger: u wrinkle free?

Stranger: hahahaha

Stranger: good one

You: well, bitches are overrated anyways

Stranger: thats for sure

Stranger: bet u notice that when u look in the mirror

You: only when i;m naked

Stranger: lol then its just too much

You: still havent picked up on which wrinkle i'm referring to?

Stranger: well to say 1 by 1 would take an eternity

You: here's a hint

You: it starts with "v"

You: and ends in "agina"

Stranger: dont wanna think abt them

Stranger: chill out

You: it is gettin pretty cold up here...

Stranger: bet it is

You: so. "dude". how young are you?

Stranger: 24

Stranger: why do u even care?

You: i'm just curious. does everyone your age not know how to spell?

Stranger: we already talked about that

Stranger: or do i need to remind u?

Stranger: u senile bitch

You: sorry. everytime i read your horrible spelling my brain cells commit suicide

You: so i cant retain information right now

Stranger: lol i just think u dont have any

Stranger: lol if u cant retain info it shows how retarded ur

You: your what?

You: finish your thought..

Stranger: learn to read

You: i am trying. i think "ur" is slang for "your"

You: so you have an incomplete sentence

Stranger: good morning and smell the coffee

You: if you had said "u r" that wouldve made more sense

You: sadly

Stranger: how long did it take u to figure it out?

You: about as long as it's taking you to spell correctly

Stranger: lol u shouldnt talk abt sense

You: so...forever

Stranger: ???

Stranger: huh?

You: am i going too fast for you now?

Stranger: no

Stranger: you just dont make any sense

You: your 7 brain cells must be working overtime right now

You: i pity them

Stranger: lol i pity you

Stranger: trying to act like ur somethn

You: yep. acting like someone who can spell

Stranger: why dont u just go to ur pill eating husband

You: i should really get off my high horse

Stranger: lol u should get off internet

Stranger: and btw

Stranger: ur horse

Stranger: is not high

You: we live in colorado

You: everything is high here

You: metaphorically and literally

Stranger: i dont give a shit where u live

Stranger: ur own "horse"

Stranger: is nt high

Stranger: not

Stranger: ok

Stranger: NOT!

You: why did you even bother correcting that

Stranger: cuz ur retarded head wont get it then

You: i'm doing fine, dont worry about me

Stranger: if idont

Stranger: ahahahha

Stranger: doubt it

You: i assume there are lots of things you doubt

You: like not being able to spell is important for getting jobs

Stranger: i doubt ur husand can fk ur hangy vagina

Stranger: well ur not a person on a so called high "horse"

Stranger: that can give any job

Stranger: so idont mind

Stranger: ur not worth all the effort

You: i wouldn't hire you anyways. so i dont mind either

Stranger: who cares what you would do

Stranger: doesnt have any value

You: some people do

Stranger: as i said

Stranger: dont care abt them either

You: and what are you doing with your life?

Stranger: im not "some of those

Stranger: why do u even care?

You: i dont really

Stranger: lol then shut up

You: just want to make sure i can avoid you at all costs

Stranger: u can by dc

You: dc...now that one youll have to expand on

Stranger: dc=disconnect

Stranger: there is a button

You: oh. then that should be "disconnecting"

Stranger: down on the left

Stranger: bravoooo

You: cmon now, it's not rocket science here

Stranger: u see where it says disconnect?

Stranger: down on the left

You: by george i think i do

Stranger: click on it

Stranger: twice

You: it must be some form of wizardry

Stranger: twice= 2 times

You: it's like you can see my computer screen!

Stranger: ok?

Stranger: and 2 is 1+1

You: or 3-1

Stranger: got it?

You: or 2x1

Stranger: good

Stranger: but u just need to know 1+1 for now

You: or 673 = -671

You: +*

Stranger: ??

Stranger: hahahaha

Stranger: wat a bunch of bull

Stranger: so since 1+1 is 2

Stranger: and hopefully u understood the answer

Stranger: thats how many times u need to click the dc button

Stranger: and btw DC= Disconnect

Stranger: got it?

You: nope. DC is "direct current"

You: as opposed to AC which is "alternating current"

Stranger: wow ur an idiot

You: google it

Stranger: allright im gonna go now

You: alright*

Stranger: ur boringas shit

You: what is a boringas?

You: sounds exotic

Stranger: boring as*

Stranger: ok?

You: see how much more pleasant that is to read?

Stranger: but will surely let u type watever u want

You: fragment

Stranger: so good luck

You: oh i dont need luck

You: but you might

Stranger: in typing anything that makes sense

Stranger: bye

You: dont let this ruin your day now

You: there is still hope for you

You: i...BELIEVE in you!

You: you can do it!

You: werent you leaving?

You: or are you brushing up on your english for me?

You: i know youre still there, and dont want to disconnect and give me the "satisfaction" of "winning"

You: so, adios

You have disconnected.

First Impressions

 Why do first impressions hold so much stock? This thought has been with me for quite some time now. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say everyone has had some of their first impressions turn out to be wrong or misjudged - be it with people, food, movies, music, etc. And yet despite these occurrences, we still make snap appraisals of things and in turn that creates our perception of it, even though we could be completely wrong. I know that when we experience something new our mind needs to create a "file" about it, so it's necessary to make note of the initial things we see/feel. I'm just curious as to why we sometimes feel complete with this very basic assessment.

Most recently I bought a CD ("Mylo Xyloto" by Coldplay), and during my first listen-through I wasn't very impressed with it; but after listening to it more and more I've come to really enjoy it. There are varied factors that come into play when discussing the influence of a first impression. Continuing with my CD example: I thoroughly love just about everything Coldplay has put out, including their unreleased B-sides, so I guess I already have the preconceived that I will like their new album (plus I had heard several of the songs from it prior to its release, and liked them).
However, my first impression was that the new CD was "good, but not as good as their other stuff", and that in itself was a disappointment. Did my high expectations clash with my actual reaction to the CD and therefore result in my initial dissatisfaction? Definitely. But then an interesting thing happened: I listened to it again, and found myself enjoying the songs more and more. I think that having more familiarity with each song, knowing what it's actually like (opposed to what I thought it would be like) removed my expectations from the mix and actually let me listen to the music as it truly existed.

There's an old saying: "Familiarity breeds contempt." I used to think it meant that a person begins to hate all the material things in their lives that remain the same, day after day, like their job, relationships, possessions. Writing this post out has made me think of that quote in a different light. This new Coldplay CD was more different than their other albums, and that may have had some influence on why I didn't like it as much initially; but after listening to it more, I've come to really enjoy their new style and direction (admittedly it's not a drastic change, so that's one knock on my case here. Still, it's pretty different from their older stuff). So if this new CD was more like their older material, I probably would have liked it more at the beginning, but as time goes on I may have become more bored with it, or I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as their newer style. I guess the point I'm making in connection with the quote is that while familiarity is "safer", it also doesn't offer you a chance to experience something new; and the whole point of human life is to experience new things. So I now think of "familiarity breeds contempt" as a more philosophical motivator, urging us to seek out new experiences.

This realization helped me understand that our first impressions are mainly based on a mixture of reactions, prior knowledge, and emotions. Not a hard concept to understand, given the fact that anytime you react to a new thing you can really only rely on those three aspects. The thing that bothers me is when these first impressions become our entire perception of something, or when they carry so much weight that it takes a lot to overcome the first judgment. I know that it's ridiculous to assume for people to simply stop making snap judgments; I just hope we can realize that we may be totally wrong, or we may change our mind later. Just keeping our minds and attitudes open can make a difference (and if we have that in the first place, perhaps our first impressions will be more accurate).

[Post composed listening to Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" album - go figure :) ]

A Random Rambling

- I really dislike it when I'm driving through a parking lot, see a space between two cars that I think is open, only to discover there is already a damn Volkswagen Beetle in it.

- It would be bad to be cursed, for sure. But what if you were cursed so every time you took a bite of food you had to chew 10 times? I don't think I'd be able to eat ice cream anymore.

- I find some people funny-looking. I feel bad for laughing at them because I shouldn't judge someone like that, especially on something as trivial as looks, and ones they can't really do anything about to boot. Having said that, some people look friggin' hilarious.

- A blank page can be your best friend or your worst enemy. (I hope no one famous has said this before, cause I'd rather like having credit for it.)

- When I'm driving and changing lanes, I make it a game to see if I can make it through to the next lane without running over any of the road reflectors.

[post composed listening to "Young Folks" - Peter Bjorn and John]

My Favorite Compliment - an original poem

Today I heard a compliment
from a lady unknown to me.
She paid me well, cause she could see
I was something of a gent'.

I was only myself, what was they key
that left her such an impression?
And as if I had just asked that question
she said the key was me.

Her smilin' eyes revealed she was sure
in her perception and reason,
and that intuitive female feelin'
told her I was made of good nature.

Though not much has entered this head,
out of all the advice and wisdom
(and the feel of a woman's bosom)
her words I'll keep 'til I'm dead.

A plan to end childhood obesity?

Childhood obesity is one of the more unique pandemics in our world today - from a historical viewpoint it is a relatively new problem, and one that seemingly shouldn't be as big a conflict as it's become (no pun intended). But the pop culture of today has become a fertile breeding ground for obesity: television, video games, and cheap fast food are some of the obvious culprits. Throw in parents who allow their children to feast on anything and everything they want, while simultaneously not encouraging exercise, has allowed our children to reach absurd weight levels. Parents HAVE to do a better job of disciplining and setting a good example for their children. And even then, it's not enough.

What if we allowed overweight children and teens under the age of 18 to go to the gyms and paid them to work out? Say, every hour they exercise they get $5 or $10? And if they work out every day for a week they get a bonus?

Sure, this plan has it's obvious flaws: the kids could take the money and pig out on cheeseburgers, or save up for a week and go buy a new game and never see the light of day for a month.

Food can be just as strong an addiction for these children as alcohol/cigarettes are for adults; thus I feel paying children to work out will become an addiction in itself, taking the place of food. We all know the powerful temptation money can provide, and it is my hope that the hunger for money would replace the hunger for food.

Is this a good thing though? Replacing one addiction for another? Greed can be a devastating affliction, capable of ruining the lives of many people (just look at all the recent Ponzi schemes). Perhaps though, the money these kids would receive is just the motivation they need to stick with their exercise. You know the rush of pleasure you get when you look down at the ground and see that beautiful green-tinted paper just laying there for the taking? It's like it unleashes an animalistic instinct within us.

...Maybe it would be a good idea to include a free money-management class for these kids too.

Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.


[post composed listening to Coldplay]

Sometimes I'm not the man I want to be

One day this past school year, I was sitting in my friend's car in a parking lot on campus. I saw someone in a wheelchair (can't remember if it was a man/woman, young/old) and they seemed to be having a hard time - the road was grading uphill. I wanted to go over to them and push them, but I figured they'd get angry at me for "pitying" them. So I just sat there.

Another day I was driving in the rain and saw a man walking on the side of the road. I wanted to pull over and give him a ride so he wouldn't have to walk in the rain, but I have this paranoia about picking up murderous hitchhikers (as does almost everyone else, I'm assuming) - so I drove on by.

One day I saw a couple arguing on the sidewalk. I had no idea what they were fighting about, but I still wanted to go over and try and help, like moderate the debate in a way. But they'd probably yell at me for butting in on their lives, so I walked on by. Maybe if I had intruded, they would have forgotten their momentary hate for each other and united it against me, and in turn that would've helped them out, somehow.


Another day I saw a woman sitting on a bench on campus, looking very distraught/downtrodden. I wanted to sit down and console her, give her someone to talk to, remind her of the good things in life. Instead I just walked on by. I figured she wouldn't open up to a complete stranger anyways.

One day an old war veteran came through my line at Kroger. He was buying his groceries with a food stamp card, but he didn't have enough money on the card so it wouldn't go through. My supervisor came over and told him there was nothing we could do, and that's when he started pleading with us - I need this food, I don't have much in my house and don't have any cash. I offered my life for this country dammit, why is it so damn hard for me to live in it? - he had tears in his eyes at this point. My supervisor kept saying we couldn't do anything for him. He eventually left, and the supervisor said he was probably just trying to get free groceries out of us by pulling the "ol' war vet card". His order was only 30 bucks or so, and I had the cash in my wallet. I wanted to buy his groceries for him. But I didn't. I can't even remember what I spent it on now.